Updated approaches are needed to rapidly respond to new emerging diseases, especially early in the epidemic when prompt public health intervention strategies can limit mortality and epidemic spread. In particular, emerging respiratory coronaviruses offer a considerable threat to the health of global populations and the economy. Coronaviruses (CoVs) constitute a group of phylogenetically diverse enveloped viruses that encode the largest plus strand RNA genomes and replicate efficiently in most mammals. Human CoV (HCoVs-229E, OC43, NL63, and HKU1) infections typically result in mild to severe upper and lower respiratory tract disease. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged in 2002-2003 causing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with 10% mortality overall and up to 50% mortality in aged individuals. Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) emerged in the Middle East in April of 2012, manifesting as severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and acute renal failure. The virus is still circulating and has been shown to have a mortality rate of ˜49%. Platforms for generating reagents and therapeutics are needed to detect and control the emergence of new strains, especially early in an outbreak prior to the development of type specific serologic reagents and therapeutics.
The present invention overcomes previous shortcomings in the art by providing methods and compositions comprising a chimeric coronavirus spike protein for treating/and or preventing diseases and disorders caused by infection by a coronavirus.